Who have been the Premier League’s overachievers so far this season?

With the Premier League drawing to a temporary close due to another round of international fixtures, the table has begun to take shape and managers up and down the county will be assessing where their squads are at during their well-deserved break.

While the likes of Everton and Leeds might have fallen off the boil since their stunning start to the New Year, some teams have managed to keep up their momentum and have shocked many across the Premier League.

With the top-flight making a return in a fortnights time, we have taken a look at four sides who have surpassed their early-season expectations.

Southampton

While Southampton might have opened the New Year with back-to-back defeats at the hands of Crystal Palace and Tottenham back in September, the Saints have certainly bounced back in extremely eye-catch fashion.

Although Ralph Hasenhüttl’s men might have been left heartbroken to have seen the red-hot Danny Ings elect for knee surgery and ruled out for the foreseeable future, the South Coast outfit picked up a 2-0 win against Newcastle over the weekend and have seen Che Adams fill his partners void.

While Southampton might have seen their very brief stint at the top of the table come to an end following that victory at St.Mary’s on Friday night, the former RB Leipzig boss has seen his side remarkably pick up 16 points from just their last six Premier League appearances.

In fact, securing three top-flight victories on the bounce for the first time since 2016 under new Barcelona boss Ronald Koeman, some in Southampton’s camp might even be dreaming of what would be a stunning European charge.

Tottenham

Much like Southampton, while Tottenham might have opened the 2020/2021 campaign with a 1-0 defeat against a fading Everton in North London, Spurs have also embarked on an extended Premier League unbeaten run and Jose Mourinho is certainly enjoying his brightest spell in the capital since taking over from Mauricio Pochettino last year.

Failing to secure themselves a top-four finish after reaching the Champions League final the season before, Tottenham managed to land a last-gasp 1-0 win away at top-flight returners West Brom over the weekend and now find themselves enjoying a seven-match Premier League unbeaten run.

Making a string of alterations on the road and winning each of their opening four away games of a league season for just the fourth time in their history, Mourinho also has one attacking talisman who is enjoying yet another record-breaking run.

Bagging the winner late on at the Hawthrons on Sunday, Harry Kane recorded his 150th Premier League strike and the England skipper has been directly involved in 27 goals in his last 14 starts for Tottenham in all competitions, scoring 17 and assisting 10.

West Ham

After just about managing to hang onto their Premier League status after what was a hugely disappointing campaign in East London last season, many expected that West Ham would find themselves at the heart of another relegation scrap this time around.

Opening up the 2020/2021 campaign with back-to-back defeats against Newcastle and Arsenal back in September, the Hammers suddenly clicked into gear and David Moyes’ decision to swap to five at the back has given West Ham a new lease of life.

Enjoying a four-match unbeaten run that saw them secure 4-0 and 3-0 romps against Wolves and Leicester either side of October’s international break, the former Manchester United boss also saw his side collect points off of both Tottenham and Man City.

While the Hammers might have seen their unbeaten run come to an end thanks to a close-fought 2-1 defeat at defending champions Liverpool, they did manage to make a welcomed return to winning ways thanks to a dramatic 1-0 victory against Fulham on Saturday night.

With attacking MVP Michail Antonio expected to return from a hamstring injury when they travel to Bramwell Lane later in the month, there is no doubt that the mood in West Ham’s camp is at a real high and they suddenly find themselves looking up the table after what was an unenviable opening run of fixtures.

Aston Villa

Leaving it to the last day of the extended 2019/2020 campaign to secure their own top-flight future, Aston Villa once again showed how far they have come over the summer thanks to what turned out to be a rampant 3-0 romp away at Arsenal on Sunday night.

Managing to tie down skipper and talisman Jack Grealish to a new deal in the Midlands, Dean Smith’s former relegation scrappers will head into the international break sat in the European spots and enjoying a new lease of life.

Really bouncing back from their back-to-back defeats against Leeds and Southampton with their clinical display in North London over the weekend, the Villans have collected 15 points from their opening seven Premier League appearances and still hold a game in hand over the sides above them.

With that famous 7-2 romp against defending champions Liverpool last month still living firmly in their memory, Villa have also won each of their first three away league games in a season for the first time in their history.